Pasta Puttanesca

January kind of gets on my nerves--maybe it's the cold, maybe it's a lack of outdoor activity, maybe it's the monotony of landscape.  Honestly, for the past two days I can't tell where the sky ends and land begins.  It's all grey, upon grey, upon grey...So, I fight off the January "sub-zero blues" with rich, savory dishes with just enough spice to heat it up.

 

Pasta Puttanesca is just the dish, so last night Bindweed Kitchen celebrated the sunny seacoasts of Italy with our first cooking class of the season.  Ta da--in my very own kitchen!

We were packed in a little like anchovies in a can, but it was great fun.

With just a few simple ingredients, many you probably have on hand, this dish is perfect for quick week-night meals or care-free entertaining.  Let's get started. 

First off mince some fresh flat leaf Italian parsley and set it aside in the fridge for garnishing.  I like mincing the herbs and garlic right off so that the fragrance fills the air immediately and seasons the cutting board.

Next on the board:  two big beautiful cloves of garlic, minced finely.

Chop up some salty pungent Calamata olives, and if you like, throw in some black olives too.  Drain and set aside a big tablespoon of capers--I really like capers.

Last but most important, two or three anchovy fillets.  RT thinks he doesn't like anchovies so I use a fork to mash them into a pulp, a few minutes in the pan and they completely disappear.  But feel free to mince them finely, they too will be magically absorbed into the sauce.

Have a scant teaspoon, or a full teaspoon, of red pepper flakes ready to go.

And a jar of beautiful home-canned, home-grown Italian tomatoes--whoops, well, if you don't have any of these beauties, look for any nice organic canned tomatoes.  (I like to buy whole tomatoes in the can, they just seem more real to me.  And of course, if it is tomato season, gosh, use fresh tomatoes!)  Whatever you are using, put them into a small bowl and squish them through your fingers, making a rich tomato pulp, perfect for cooking.

Set a straight-sided saute pan over medium heat and film it with 2-3 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.  When the oil is warm, add the garlic and cook just until it is beginning to color.  Immediately add the remaining ingredients, everything except the parsley.  Stir the pan up so everybody gets very familiar and bring it the boil.

Reduce the sauce to a simmer and start the pasta.

Set the timer and within 5 to 6 minutes, you will be dinning!  As soon as the pasta is al dente drain it and put it into a big warm bowl.  Pour in half the sauce, mix it well and then mix in the rest of the sauce and garnish with the fresh parsley.  Serve it up immediately in warm pasta bowls.  

Mamma mia!   Hot, spicy, savory sauce, tangy sweet tomatoes, pungent salty olives over chewy al dente pasta--perfetto!  If I close my eyes, and get really close to the candles on the table, I am somewhere along the coast of Italy with the sea breeze in my hair...no, just another blast of Idaho weather.  Perhaps, I'll have a little more wine.

Pasta alla Puttanesca

2-3 TB extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ - ½ t. red pepper flakes

¼ - ½ c. Calamata olives, pitted and chopped

1-2 t. capers

28 oz. tomatoes, chopped

2-3 anchovy fillets, minced

fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped

1 lb.  long pasta, spaghetti, capellini, linguini

salt and pepper

Set a large stock-pot of water to boil for the pasta.

Film the bottom a large straight-sided sauté pan with the EVOO, set over medium heat.  When the oil is shimmering, add the garlic and sauté until just golden, instantly add the red pepper, olives, capers, tomatoes and anchovies.  Stir well and heat through.  As soon as this comes to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for six minutes.  As soon as possible put your pasta in and cook as directed on package.*

Drain pasta and combine with sauce in a warm bowl.  Garnish with fresh minced parsley and serve immediately.

*Pasta cooking primmer:  Always use a large stock-pot with enough water to cover and cook the pasta.  Bring to a roiling boil.  As soon as the water is to temperature, add one tablespoon of salt and then add the pasta.  Stir the pot to incorporate the pasta and to insure it does not stick together.  Consult the cooking time on the package and adjust your timing.  (I reduce the time by one minute.)  When time is up check pasta for al dente.  As soon as pasta is al dente, drain immediately. 

Kneadless Bread

 
Kneadless bread--seriously--who doesn't need bread!  Get it--I know, too many frigid days out on the farm.  I am getting a severe case of cabin fever.  We have been combating the winter blues with a combination of spicy dishes, that warm the tummy, pallet and soul and by boosting the actual temperature inside by baking.  RT has been perfecting his bread baking techniques and yesterday he baked the most beautiful bread--moist, yeasty crumb surrounded by a rustic chewy crust.  (Just between you and me, what is sexier than a man in the kitchen.  Especially if he is your husband baking bread!)

So here is the recipe and directions.  It is so easy, it's like "bread for dummies".  Give it a go!

Kneadless Bread

1 ½ TB yeast

2 tsp. salt

3 c. warm water (about 100 degrees—this is important)

6 ½ c. flour (32 oz.)

Place all dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix so everything is well incorporated.  Make a “well” or large depression in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the water.  Mix the water into the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon, until there are no dry patches.  (I incorporate the water into the four by stirring from the well outward in a circular pattern, moving slowly towards the outside of the bowl, like a spiral.)  Dough will be quite loose and sticky.  Cover, but not airtight.  Let dough rise at room temperature for at least 2 hours, it can rise up to 5 hours with no worries.

Dust your countertop with flour and scoop the dough onto the floured space, I use a really cool silicon spatula.  If the dough is really sticky, as it often is, sprinkle it with enough flour that you can handle it.  Divide the dough into two halves and gently shape each into a rounded loaf, kind of like a deflated football.  (If you have a cool pan like mine, shape it into traditional baguettes.  Then place your loaves on a parchment lined sturdy cookie sheet, cover lightly and let rest for 40 min.S (If you have a baking/pizza stone put the parchment on the back of the cookie sheet so you can slide it off onto the stone.  The sheet acts like a wooden baking peel.)

After 20 minutes of the resting time, prepare your oven by preheating it to 450 degrees with your baking rack in the center of the oven.  A few minutes before you are ready to bake place a broiler pan on the bottom rack to get it good and hot.

When you are ready to bake, using a sharp, sharp knife cut three diagonal slices across the tops of each loaf and slide your loaves into the oven. Pour a cup of hot water into the broiler pan and close the oven door to trap in the steam.  The steam helps create a beautiful crust.  Bake until well browned, in my oven it takes 40 minutes.

Remove your loaves from the oven and let them cool on racks.  Slide the parchment paper away so that it doesn’t “steam” the bread and ruin your beautiful crust.  As soon as it is cool, or as long as you are willing to wait, cut it and enjoy!

Adapted from “Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day” by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe FranCois.